but president obama began soft, very soft. a shout out to the first lady. >> i just want to wish, sweetie, you, happy anniversary, and let you know that, a year from now we will not be celebrating it in front of 40 million people. then they got down to business, the subject, jobs. romney took it to the president from the get-go. >> middle-income families are being crushed. >> reporter: it was clear and direct and aggressive. romney seemed on his game and ready for a fight. hammering away at the grim economic track record of the last four years. >> the president took office, 32 million people on food stamps, 47 million on food stamps today. economic growth this year, slower than last year. last year slower than the year before. going forward with the status quo is not going to cut it for the american people who are struggling today. >> reporter: president obama seemed at first to wander a bit, but found his footing with an answer that slammed romney as the heir of failed trickle down economics. >> i think, math, common sense, a